Beautiful World, Where Are You

Beautiful World, Where Are You truly lives up to its name. I went in with some hesitation about Sally Rooney's work, partly because of mixed reviews, but decided to give it a chance after reading Normal People. And I'm glad I did—something about the time I'm in now and who I am made me really connect with this book.

What stood out most to me is the writing. Normally, I feel a bit of “ick” when a novel is set in our present day; I tend to prefer stories set in unfamiliar times or places. But this time, I didn't get that feeling at all. Rooney has a knack for capturing modern language without dropping in the mumbo-jumbo words we use in our daily lives.

This isn't a fast-paced read by any means. Although I've added it to my “Literary Fiction Recs” list, I wouldn't suggest it to just anyone. You need to be in the right mood for it. If you're looking for a story where the plot isn't central but instead just want to explore the lives of relatable characters who feel the same confusion, longing, and wonder many of us experience in the world, I think you'll appreciate this one.